In this past week, Head of Upper School Dr. Delvin Dinkins and Reverend James Squire held three meetings in which the possibility of changes to the advisory program was discussed. All students who were available during these specific blocks were invited to attend and voice their opinions regarding the current advisory system and its future.
Both Dinkins and Squire believe that advisory could potentially be a time centered on intimate large group discussions; however, there seem to be little mechanisms that can help efficiently manage these conversations in the current system.
“We don’t have health nor wellness classes here,” Dinkins stated, “So where do we get the time for these topics?”
Dinkins also mentioned that, although the open system in which students choose their advisors seems like a convenient process, the freedom of choice may compromise choice itself, alluding to how students may not always get their top choices due to the “popularity” of some advisors and the advisees that decide to stay.
“There’s a lack of symmetry and seamlessness retaining in the element of choice in the current system,” Dinkins observed, who then went on to say that he is aware of several Upper School students who were unable to get their top choices.
Therefore, the possibility of having grade specific advisories is currently being looked at.
“In 2012, there were several strategic plans made by a subcommittee that was centered around advisories,” Dinkins explained, “The committee looked at recommendations and observed that there were different needs between the forms.”
In the proposed plan, incoming sophomores after their first year will choose an advisor within a pool of twenty teachers who will advise them for the rest of their high school career. With this grade specific system, Dinkins hopes that advisories could be used for different topics that pertain to each specific grade if need be.
“Efficiency is the spirit of it, for college guidance, for advisors. There’s an opportunity to make life easier and enhance what we do, because it’s challenging to squeeze things in,” Dinkins said, “Grade specific announcements and meetings would be made across the grid, and no one would be left out, potentially generating more class spirit.”
However, for many students, sports seem to be the only times in which separate class forms can get together and share ideas and achieve a sense of unity besides in advisory. Dinkins is looking for ways to incorporate interactions amongst the forms in the grade specific system.
“A familiar effect can be achieved when multiple advisories are together,” Dinkins proposed, “Advisories from multiple grades could partner every other cycle, incorporating the same togetherness the current advisory system has.”
Dinkins continued on to say that similar systems have already started to get phased in with the 2015-2016 freshmen class. Most of the freshmen advisors have around three to four advisees, and these small advisories are joined by two others in the same room.
“It’s more manageable when all hands are on deck with this smaller ratio [of students to advisors],” Dinkins explained.
Dinkins stated that these plans are not set in stone, and that the changes will be most likely implemented in a couple of years.
“We do have the best interest for the kids and the institution,” Squire said, concluding the meeting, “We seek to find the negative, unintentional impact of this change.”
Listed below are general questions that were asked:
- What does advisory mean to you?
- What are the advantages of having an advisory?
- How is the time in advisory typically used?
- What are the advantages or disadvantages to the current advisory system?
- Should advisory be a time centered on different activities such as social discussions?
- What are the opportunities or essential drawbacks to grade specific advisories?
Both Dinkins and Squire encourage those who could not attend these meetings send suggestions.